The Wizard Of Oz Returns (Golden Records)
The Wizard Of Oz Returns is a 7-inch full-length long-playing record created by Golden Records, which is not a retelling based on the first book but a sequel to the story that is punctuated with original songs and complete with voices that attempt to match the 1939 MGM film musical, but which follows neither the thread of the movie nor the book. The album also unfolds into a game board for a game called "Emerald City." that includes a piece of cardboard with a metal spinner, instructions, and several playing pieces that may be cut out. Plot The story finds Dorothy Gale home alone with Toto in Kansas as Aunt Em and Uncle Henry go to look after an ill relative while Dorothy will go stay with the neighbors. A knock at the door reveals the ex-wizard of Oz who has been looking for Dorothy. He was replaced at the circus, so he wants to go back to Oz and be the wizard of Oz again. And he's hoping Dorothy can help him find the way, so Dorothy practically talks herself into coming and she packs some food as she and Toto join the wizard in his balloon. Toto manages to find the way to Oz and they soon arrive in the emerald city, where they spot a parade. But everyone ignores the wizard's balloon: this parade is for the former cowardly lion. Upon questioning a citizen, Dorothy and the wizard are told they are not needed in Oz with no more wicked witches. The lion has been made head of the army of Oz, but he doesn't like the job and attempts to pass it to the wizard who declines. So they rejoin the scarecrow who is now the dean of the university of Oz and is hating his new job as he has no room for the thousands of the winkies, munchkins, and emerald citizens who want to attend the university. Tired of writing rejection letters, he offers his post to the wizard but he declines. So, it's off to the tin woodman who writes a help column for The Emerald City Herald, but dislikes his job because while he helps people he picks up their heartaches. And he offers the post to the wizard who declines again. So, they decide to head to the good witch of the north. They travel through China Forest and the land of the winged monkeys who give them a lift the rest of the way after falling in love with Aunt Em's pickles, or "big green peanuts" as they think they are. The good witch of the north muses that if there was a wicked witch to give some scare to the emerald city, then the people would want the wizard back. She refuses to pretend to be a wicked witch as it's against her nature, however, she brings out a bottle of mean pills and explains that wicked witches take them to make them mean. She takes one and likes the flavor so much she eats all the pills, overdosing and making her think she's the wicked witch of the west and heads off to destroy the emerald city. The winged monkeys take everyone to the emerald city where the people call for the wizard to save them. The wizard and his friends corner the witch, and Dorothy hesitates about hurling water at her for fear of harming the good witch. The wizard assures her it will be all right, and it is because the water simply removes the effects of the mean pills and leaves a wet good witch. With the wizard reinstated, Dorothy expresses that she doesn't want to leave Oz, but she can't leave Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, so the winged monkeys, who are excited to meet the woman who made those wonderful pickles, fly to Kansas and carry back Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. The record ends with Uncle Henry singing a song about how they're in Oz. Category:The Wizard Of Oz